Apparatus for forming roller bearing cages

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for forming roller bearing cages from an elongated strip of metal of uniform thickness by passing the strip between a hollow roll mounted in fixed bearings and an adjustably mounted pinch roll located therethrough. At least one of the rolls is power driven. The pinch roll is adjustable longitudinally, laterally and angularly relative to the fixed roll to compensate for variations in thickness of the metal strip and to form a laterally tapered cross-section in the metal strip. The metal strip is guided through an adjustably mounted stock guide to the rolls which taper the strip laterally and bend it into a spiral coil. One at a time, the endmost complete convolution is cut from the spirally coiled metal strip, the ends thereof are brought into alignment with each other and welded. Slots for the bearing rollers may be cut out of the cage at this time, or may be cut out of the metal strip before it is passed through the apparatus. In a modified form of the apparatus, the metal strip is furnished in lengths suitable for forming a single cage instead of being formed into a spiral coil and then cut apart to form a plurality of cages.

United States Patent Wagner [54] APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROLLER BEARINGCAGES [72] Inventor: William S. Wagner, 4945 Navarre Road, S. W.,Canton, Ohio 44706 [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 81,840

[52] US. Cl ..72ll34, 72/135, 29/148.4 C [51] Int. Cl. ..B2lc 47/00,B2ld 53/12 [58] Field of Search ..72/130, 136, 135, 139, 137,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,085,529 4/1963 Admerand..72/49 1,042,552 10/1912 Harter ..72/130 3,568,728 3/ 1971 Muller..72/1 35 3,526,026 9/1970 Warchol ..29/ 148.4 C

Primary ExaminerCharles W. Lanham Assistant ExaminerR. M. RogersAttomey-Frease & Bishop 5] Oct. 24, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus forforming roller bearing cages from an elongated strip of metal of uniformthickness by passing the strip between a hollow roll mounted in fixedbearings and an adjustably mounted pinch roll located therethrough. Atleast one of the rolls is power driven. The pinch roll is adjustablelongitudinally, laterally and angularly relative to the fixed roll tocompensate for variations in thickness of the metal strip and to form alaterally tapered cross-section in the metal strip. The metal strip isguided through an adjustably mounted stock guide to the rolls whichtaper the strip laterally and bend it into a spiral coil. One at a time,the endmost complete convolution is cut from the spirally coiled metalstrip, the ends thereof are brought into alignment with each other andwelded. Slots for the bearing rollers may be cut out of the cage at thistime, or may be-cut out of the metal stn'p before it is passed throughthe apparatus. In a modified form of the apparatus, the metal strip isfurnished in lengths suitable for forming a single cage instead of beingformed into a spiral coil and then cut apart to form a plurality ofcages.

SCIaimSDrawingFigures PATENTEDUDI 24 mm SHEET 1 [1F 2 A TTORXEYPATENTEDnm 24 m2 9.699.793 swim 2 0r 2 INVENTOR.

WilliaznSWagner Fig. 5

- ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROLLER BEARING CAGES CROSS-REFERENCE TORELATED APPLICATION This invention is a further development of theapparatus disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 47,305, filedon June 18, 1970, for Apparatus and Method for Forming Roller BearingCages.

BACKGROUND OF- TI-IE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to means for forming cages for tapered roller bearings,especially large bearings for industrial use, from a metal strip ofproper cross-section as it is received from conventional forming rolls.

2. Description of the Prior Art To the best of applicants knowledge, thecommon method for forming such tapered roller bearing cages from sheetmetal, except applicants prior application above referred to, is to cuta disc of proper dimensions from a square sheet of metal and then pressthis sheet metal blank into truncated conical shape and punch out thecenter leaving a flanged conical ring. This necessitates the waste of agreat portion of the square metal sheet, since the four corners are cutaway and the entire central portion of the sheet is also cut away.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises apparatus for receivinga flanged metal strip from conventional forming rolls, cross-sectionallyforming the strip and bending it into spiral shape, single convolutionsbeing cut from said spiral coil, one at a time, and the ends thereofpulled together and welded to form a tapered cage. The usual slots foraccommodating single bearing rolls may be cut from the formed cage ormay be stamped from the metal strip before it is formed.

The apparatus for forming roller bearing cages from a metal stripcomprises a hollow roll mounted in fixed bearings and an adjustablymounted pinch roll located therethrough for receiving therebetween aflanged strip of metal from conventional forming rolls. The fixed rollmay be provided with gear teeth for operatively con necting the samewith a driving motor, through suitable reduction gearing.

The pinch roll is adjustable longitudinally laterally and angularly withrelation to the fixed roll. The angular adjustment provides for rollingthe unflanged edge of the metal strip thinner forming a taperedcross-sectional shape. The longitudinal and lateral adjustment of thepinch roll toward and from the fixed roll compensates for variations inthickness of the metal strip.

It, therefore, is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus forforming roller bearing cages from a metal strip, said apparatusincluding a hollow roll journalled in fixed bearings and a pinch rolladjustably located therethrough with means for thinning one edge of thestrip and bending it into one or more convolutions each suitable forforming a roller bearing cage, at least one of said rolls being powerdriven.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in whichthe hollow roll has a tapered opening therein and the pinch roll has atapered portion cooperating with said tapered opening.

These and other objects, apparent from the drawings and followingdescription, may be attained, the above described difficulties overcomeand the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction,arrangements, and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprisethe present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative ofthe best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying theprinciple, being set forth in detail in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation, with partsin section, of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the partially completed product of theapparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a formed cage; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a formed and slotted cage.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, a hollow roll is indicatedat l, journalled in suitable bearings such as the roller bearings 2which are fixedly mounted in a suitable support (not shown). The hollowroll 1 may be power driven in any suitable manner such as through thegear teeth 3 formed around the periphery thereof.

The hollow roll 1 may be referred to as a fixed roll as it is rotatablein bearings, fixed in the support. This hollow roll has a concentric,internal, conical opening tapered inwardly from one side, as indicatedat 4, to the shoulder 5, and then preferably'flared outward to the otherside, as shown at 6.

An inner or pinch roll is indicated generally at 7 and is journalled ina housing 8. This inner roll cooperates with the inwardly taperedconical opening 4 in the fixed roll 1 and is adjustably mounted relativethereto.

The inner roll may be driven by any conventional means or may be anidler. The two rolls 1 and 7 are adapted to receive between them a longnarrow metal strip 9 from a conventional stand of forming rolls. A stockguide 10 is provided for guiding the metal strip 9 between the rolls 1and 7.

The housing 8 of the inner roll 7 is adjustably mounted upon the abovementioned support in any conventional manner so that it is adjustableabout a pivot point 11 (FIG. 1) in the direction of the double arrow 12to adjust the taper formed on the metal strip 9 by the rolls. Thehousing 8 is also adjustable to adjust the inner roll 7 toward and fromthe fixed roll 1 both vertically and horizontally as indicated by thedouble headed arrows 13 and 14, respectively.

The stock guide 10 is adjustable in all directions to compensate foradjustment of the inner roll, and to determine the lead of the helix.

The metal strip 9 has a flange or bead 16 formed at one edge in theconventional forming rolls. When the metal strip is fed between therolls 1 and 7, as shown in FIG. 1, this flange 16 is received againstthe shoulder 5 of the roll 1. The inner roll 7 should be so adjustedrelative to the fixed roll 1 that the metal strip 9 is tapered towardthe edge opposite to the flange 16 as indicated in section at 17 in FIG.1.

As the metal strip 9 passes between the rolls 1 and 7, it is bent into asubstantially cylindrical helical coil, as

, indicated at 18. As indicated by the broken line 19 any suitablesupport may be provided for supporting the helical coil 18 as it isformed.

One complete convolution at a time is cut from the outer end of thespiral coil 18 along a diagonal line 20. The upwardly and downwardlydisposed ends 21 and 22, respectively, of the cutoff convolution arethen pulled toward each other, the edges being welded together as shownin FIG. 4 forming a complete tapered roller bearing cage indicatedgenerally at 23.

The finished cage is indicated generally at 24 in FIG. 5, having theslots 25 therein for the individual bearing rolls. These slots may bestamped into the cage after it is in the form shown in FIG. 4, or may bestamped in the stock strip 9 between the conventional forming rolls andthe present apparatus.

In FIG. 2 is shown a modification of the invention comprising the hollowfixed roll indicated generally at 1a and the inner or pinch rollindicated generally at 7a.

The roll la is journalled in suitable bearings such as the rollerbearings 2a mounted in a support (not shown). Gear teeth 3a may beformed around the periphery of the roll 1a for applying power forrotating the roll.

The roll 1a has an internal conical surface tapered inwardly asindicated at 4a (FIG. 2) to a point 26 and then extending axially of theroll for a short distance'as at 27 to the cutout portion 28.

A discharge ring 29 is axially movably mounted within the cutout portion28 and provided with the reduced extension 30 slidable within the axialopening 27. The discharge ring is adapted to be operated by conventionalmeans such as a shifting shoe or fork indicated at 31.

The inner roll 7a is journalled in a housing 8a which is adjustableabout a pivot point 11a in the direction of the double headed arrow 12ato provide for the desired taper in the metal strip. The housing 8a isalso adjustable toward and from the roll 1a in the direction of thedouble headed arrow 13a and 14a to compensate for variations inthickness of the metal strip.

In this form of the invention, the metal strip 94 is the same as themetal strip 9 above described and provided at one edge with a flange160, except that instead of indefinite length to form a spiral coil asin FIG. 1, the strip 90 is of a length suitable to form only one singleconvolution indicated in broken lines at 32 in FIG. 2.

Each metal strip 9a is fed to the pinch of the rolls 1a and 7a by astock guide 100. The flange 16a of the strip is received against the endof the extension 30 of the discharge ring as shown in FIG. 2.

The rolls 1a and 7a roll the strip into a taper toward the edge oppositethe flange 16a as illustrated in section at 17a (FIG. 2). When eachconvolution has been formed the housing 8a and roll 7a are moved toposition 34 and the shifting shoe or fork 31 is operated to move thedischarge ring to the broken line position of FlG.2t dis h ethec n 01 t'32 erefr In FIG 3 s l i wn an lezatiiiii gf sue a coiiwalution 32. Theends 33 are drawn together and welded forming a complete cage asindicated in FIG. 4. After slots for individual bearing rolls arestamped on the same, this cage will be the same as shown in FIG. 5.

Although the invention is disclosed primarily for forming cagesforroller bearings, it could be used for forming any frusto-conicalmember such as shown in FIG. 4 or even a spiral coil as indicated at 18in FIG. 1.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchwords are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to bebroadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, theoperation, and use of the preferred embodiments thereof, and theadvantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the new anduseful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereofobvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the disclosure.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming sheet metal cages for tapered roller bearingsand the like from a metal strip having a length suitable for forming onecage, the apparatus comprising a hollow roll, an inner roll adjustablymounted within the hollow roll, at least one of said rolls being powerdriven, said rolls being adapted to receive therebetween the metal stripto bend it into a single convolution, and a discharge ring axiallymovable within the hollow roll for discharging the formed convolutiontherefrom.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the edge of the dischargering forms a stop for the metal strip.

3. Apparatus for forming sheet metal cages for tapered roller bearingsand the like from a metal strip, said apparatus comprising a hollowroll, an inner roll adjustably mounted within the hollow roll, at leastone of said rolls being power-driven, said hollow roll having aninternal conical surface and the inner roll having a similar conicalouter surface cooperating therewith, said rolls being adapted to receivetherebetween the metal strip and to bend it into at least oneconvolution, and an annular shoulder at the inner end of the conicalsurface of the hollow roll forming a stop for the metal strip.

1. Apparatus for forming sheet metal cages for tapered roller bearingsand the like from a metal strip having a length suitable for forming onecage, the apparatus comprising a hollow roll, an inner roll adjustablymounted within the hollow roll, at least one of said rolls being powerdriven, said rolls being adapted to receive therebetween the metal stripto bend it into a single convolution, and a discharge ring axiallymovable within the hollow roll for discharging the formed convolutiontherefrom.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the edge of thedischarge ring forms a stop for the metal strip.
 3. Apparatus forforming sheet metal cages for tapered roller bearings and the like froma metal strip, said apparatus comprising a hollow roll, an inner rolladjustably mounted within the hollow roll, at least one of said rollsbeing power-driven, said hollow roll having an internal conical surfaceand the inner roll having a similar conical outer surface cooperatingtherewith, said rolls being adapted to receive therebetween the metalstrip and to bend it into at least one convolution, and an annularshoulder at the inner end of the conical surface of the hollow rollforming a stop for the metal strip.